Engaging the Lordship of Jesus
 
In the Homily, it sites a scientific study that says that we are moved when we hear a story read aloud.

Not when we read privately. But when we hear a reading, read aloud with others in our presence, our hearts become impacted.

In the Gospel today, Our Lord speaks of the day in the future, in which He will return again. On that day, the Lord will place all things in order intended by God. The Lord, who knows our hearts, gives us some very important instructions within this Gospel.

When the day comes, these will be the signs. The audio goes on and discusses this in detail. When the day comes, you will not miss it or confuse it with any other! The implication is for us not to confuse every storm or conflict between nations as the sign of His coming! You will know it when the day arrives! When it comes, it will impact everyone. Everyone will recognize it at once!

Why is this important? The Christian heart is fascinated with predicting the end. When we fall into this trap, we lose the beauty of the present moment by worrying about tomorrow. Jesus does not want us to be caught up in this fascination. He wants us to get ready for His Coming!

How does Jesus wants us to get ready? It is by asking about the real condition of my heart! When He returns, will He find us looking (and waiting) for Him? Or will we be busy about other things?

Hear more about Engaging the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Listen to preparing our hearts for His coming! Listen to this Meditation Media.

Meditation for the Week

Engaging the Lordship of Jesus

The Only Way to Receive the Blessings of God is to Follow His Words Into Them!
 
Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua.

Most of us are familiar with St. Anthony. We often see him depicted holding the Christ Child. But what many do not realize is where that tradition comes from! Why is he holding the Christ Child? The Homily explains why he is holding the Christ Child.

The story is remarkable because we hear that sacred scripture obtains its power, because it is one place where we go to meet a person. The scripture is not a collection of statements about God. It is a collection of statements by God! When we read it well, we are engaging in conversation with another person. We engage with God!

Ordinary Time
The Church is in Ordinary time. We recently finished the Gospel Readings of St. Mark. Now, the Gospel Readings are from St. Matthew. St. Matthew’s account of Jesus’ public ministry begins with the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus gives us the new law . . . the fuller and true law. He gives this to us so we may come to know the Lord. Hear more in the Homily!

The Only Way to Receive the Blessings of God . . .
We also hear about the First Reading and a prophesy of rain after years of no rain. Yet, we not only hear about the story, but we hear that the Word of God is always out in front of us! We do not know the timing. It is a lesson for all of us. We often speak of following the Word of God.

The only way to receive the Blessings of God is to follow His Words into them! What does that mean?

Listen to this Meditation Media. Listen to:

The Only Way to Receive the Blessings of God is to Follow His Words Into Them!
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Image:

The First Will Be Last and the Last Will Be First: French Artist and Painter: James Tissot: 1886
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Gospel Reading: Matthew: 5: 20-26
First Reading: 1 Kgs 18:41-46

The Only Way to Receive the Blessings of God is to Follow His Words Into Them!

For someone starting their Spiritual Journey, what is the one thing they should read to grow their spirituality and devotion?

Recommendation: a shorter work: The Secret of Mary It is a shorter piece, a letter to a sister (nun) who wanted to enhance her spirituality. It is more direct than True Devotion. It is also personable. A great place to begin. A great way to meditate and contemplate, which causes internalization. After reading, assuming you want to grow your spirituality, come back to the section called the Tree of Life. It is a 3 or 4 page highlight, written by St. Louis de Montfort that discusses caring for one’s devotional life.

WQOP 1460 AM in Jacksonville, Florida FL180427 Fr.HughGilliespie par

Where Does One Begin on Their Spiritual Journey?

RadioProgram_Part2-Devotion to Mary and Growing in Our Spirituality

Broadcast #1: Have you ever been approached by a friend who asks what is Total Consecration, but could not explain it? Has someone ever asked what is Devotion to Mary? Does this slight, or take away from our love and devotion and adoration of Our Lord? What is a Christian and how does this influence the spiritual approach prescribed by Fr. de Montfort? How does one increase True Devotion and Spiritual growth? What happens after the 33 day program? Where does one go and how does one grow in spirituality? How does one make time for the Lord? What are things we should do…in preparation for prayer?

These are the questions posed and discussed during this radio broadcast audio captured on April 20 at a radio station in Jacksonville, Florida. For the members of the Association of Mary, Queen of All Hearts, if you wish to understand spiritual insights to be able to more fully answer the questions listed above, listen to this program.

RadioProgram_Part1-Spirituality According to St. Louis de Montfort

Prayers to Our Lady and Praying the Penitential Psalms

Prayers to Our Lady of Sorrows

Praying With Our Lady of Sorrows

As we now approach the month devoted to honoring Christ’s Blood … Unlimited is the effectiveness of [His] Blood. Just as unlimited as the love that impelled Him to pour it out for us, first at His circumcision eight days after birth, and more profusely later on in his agony in the garden, in his scourging and crowning with thorns, in His climb to Calvary and crucifixion, and finally from out that great wide wound in his side which symbolizes the divine Blood cascading down all the Church’s sacraments. Such sur passing love suggests, nay demands, that everyone reborn in the torrents of that Blood adore it with grateful love. 
 
Saint Pope John XXIII – from his message to Cardinals, Bishops and Priests: Given in St. Peter’s in Rome on June 30, 1960, during his second year of his pontificate: On Promoting Devotion to The Most Precious Blood

The Most Precious Blood of Jesus

The Most Precious Blood of Jesus: Shrine of Our Lady of the Island

Conference #3: Words that Save and Reveal 
Conference #2 ended with the last of the Prayers (Word #7: Father, into Your Hands I commend my Spirit). Conference #3 begins with informing us on How Mary has two very special ways in which she relates to these last Words of Jesus.

Words #2 and #3 are further explained as these Words are what He says to other people. The 2nd Word is a response to Jesus completing His Prayer, His Word #1. In discussing Word #2, after explaining the significance, Fr. Hugh tells the story of the good and bad thieves. These two thieves are the only two people that died the same way as Jesus, at the very same time. An amazing story that had many in the audience on the verge of tears.

Words #5 and #6 are Words that He speaks about Himself and His work. I Thirst (#5) is the shortest. In this Word, he is not talking to His Father, or Our Lady, or to anyone in particular. He also is not requesting something to drink. It is much more and much deeper than that. The audio explains this Word in further detail.

In Word #6, there is more here than just the physical sacrifice on The Cross. His work was not finished when He was nailed to The Cross. He still needed to behold his Mother and His disciple that He loved. His Work includes finishing the Incarnation. When He came, He took on everything for us. Even on The Cross, he takes on death for us. There is more to this Word than this, and the conference reveals this in detail.

So, as it is explained, we have the Prayers (#1, #4 and #7), we have speaking to the world (#2 and #3), as well as speaking about Himself and His works (#5 and #6). Listen to each of these conferences in order. 

Listen to the Seven Last Words, and gain a better perspective of Mary also at the foot of the Cross.

Retreat: Lenten Pilgrimage: Listening with Mary to the Seven Words of Jesus from the Cross

Conference #3: Words that Save and Reveal: Held at the Montfort Spiritual Center

Conference 1: Listening to Jesus’ Seven Words from the Cross, but doing this in union with Our Lady . To understand what that means, lets not jump immediately into the seven last words, but rather, let’s look at the reality of crucifixion. It was not Christians who lifted the cross up first. It was a statement, and most cruel death statement, the Romans frequently used in and before Jesus’ time. Defy Roman power, and see what happens to you was the message to all to see. Crucifixion is not an efficient way to kill someone. But it made a statement. For the long and lingering groans normally heard from the cross, with family members weeping at the foot of the cross, was a common sight to show the might of the Romans.

In the middle of this is Jesus. His silence on Good Friday, make this all the more striking. It puzzles the Romans when Jesus does not make a statement, in an attempt to save himself from such a death. Jesus makes no statement to the world. The great teacher, that many heard and moved so many hearts with his speaking and preaching, now makes no statement to the world on Good Friday. His was a movement largely of silence.

Fr. Hugh explores this silence and what makes it very curious to the world. He also sets the scene when Jesus, now on The Cross, does begin to speak and the dramatic impact it now has on the world for His Last sermon to the world.

The Last Words are significant words, especially when one knows that they indeed will be the last of one’s life. The Seven Last Words are not found in any one Gospel. Indeed, the fullness of the Gospel are found in these words. To hear these Seven Words, is to listen to the Gospel. 

What that means is further explained within the audio.

Retreat:Listening With Mary to the Seven Last Words of Jesus

Conference 1: Seven Words to Be Treasured in the Heart

Part of a 2 part conference series.

In Conference #2, the audio will focus on the specifics of each of the Holy Days.

Preparing for Lent

Conference #2: Ecce Homo...Behold the Man as well as Holy Thursday thru Holy Saturday Discussions

Conference_2- Ecce Homo_Behold the Man as well as Holy Thursday thru Holy Saturday Discussions

“The first mystery of Jesus Christ, the most hidden, the most exalted, the least known.” – (St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion: 248 )

If one has made the Act of Total Consecration, and does not have devotion to this Feast day, then that person … simply, did not make the Act of Total Consecration according to St. Louis de Montfort. It is impossible to do one, without the other! The Feast of the Annunciation, or as St. Louis de Montfort called it, the Feast of the Incarnation, is not a feast day of Our Lady. Oh yes, she is critical in the events we celebrate. However, the feast, is actually a feast honoring Our Lord. For some, it is the greatest of all the Mysteries, the Word becoming Flesh. There is a Marian aspect to it, of course. But it is the day the Lord begins to reveal Himself to the world. But the world will not see Him yet. The world will see Mary.

When we meditate on this Mystery, out of which all the other Mysteries spring from, what we are looking to learn is the way of Jesus Christ, to see the goodness of Jesus Christ. What we desire to know and meet is the Glory of Jesus Christ. But we can not seek this and desire this, without Mary. The more we peer at Our Lady, the more our focus will be on Christ. Jesus does things perfectly. And His way is Through Mary, that He decides to save us all. What a remarkable Mystery!

How do we meditate on this Mystery? This first Spiritual Insight audio contains the Rosary said at the most recent Feast of the Annunciation, and includes the reflections entirely on this one Mystery. Join us in saying the Holy Rosary, and meditating on this Mystery.

The Only Way to Receive the Blessings of God is to Follow His Words Into Them!

Ad Jesum per Mariam

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